Title: Rule # 7

# 9 in the Father Figure Series

Author: Amethyst

Pairing: none

Warning: DD/CP

Summary: Grounded for the first time in his life, Blair has trouble adjusting.

This is the standard disclaimer. They don't belong to me. This story is not intended to violate any copyrights held by Paramount, UPN, or Pet Fly Productions.

This story contains DD/CP. Be warned.

Thank you to my beta reader Reva. You do great work.

Jim opened the loft door and made a show of removing his key from the lock. Tossing the key ring into the basket by the door, he turned to greet his young roommate.

"Hey, Chief! Chicken and dumplings, huh? What's the occasion? Trying to butter me up?"

Jim hung his coat on the rack, walked into the kitchen, and lifted the lid off the simmering pot on the stove. Blair continued setting the table, throwing a hesitant look at the older man.

"No, Jim. Why would I need to butter you up? I just thought it would make for a nice change. I know you like it and everything I needed to make it was right here. So I figured, why not?"

Another nervous glance from under half-lidded eyes was thrown Jim's way.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because we haven't discussed your being grounded for not telling me you were ill earlier in the week. Even after I specifically asked you if you were sick."

Jim turned and faced the silent young man in front of him.

Blair swallowed hard and looked directly into his sentinel's eyes, taking a deep breath for courage. He nodded once, acknowledging the unfinished business.

<Please let that be the only thing on his mind. My butt hurts enough from earlier today. Please. Please.

"Maybe because the door wasn't locked when I called. Maybe because you lied to me about it."

<Busted! I'm like so busted!

"Hey, Jim. Man, I-I never said the door was locked until I actually turned the lock. I-I wasn't lying! It was locked when I said it. It-it just wasn't locked before that."

Blair's hands gestured in the air in an unconscious attempt to put more weight to his words. He suddenly stilled their movements and rubbed his right thumb with his left in a familiar nervous gesture.

Jim stared at the hesitant young man and remained silent.

"It's not like I really lied! I-I did lock it! Just not-not until...when you...OK! OK! I lied! But it wasn't a big lie. Nothing happened! No serial killers or demented burglars or even irate neighbors dropped by. I was safe. Come on, big guy! I'll remember from now on. I promise!"

Jim continued to stare in silence. Just when Blair thought he would explode with the tension in the room, Jim walked to the refrigerator and removed the LIST.

Jim caught the boy's shoulders in his hands and settled him gently into a cushioned chair at the far end of the table, placing the list in front of him.

Blair shifted, his bottom sore from his earlier spanking.

"You 'promise'. I've heard that word a lot lately. You know, Chief, I've begun to think of this list as your 'promise list'. All the things you've promised to do and all the things I've promised to punish you for if you fail to keep your promises. So, since you're promising now to always lock the door when I'm not here, I think we should add it to the list. Just so we both know what can be expected in the future."

Jim grabbed a pen off the kitchen counter and handed it to the startled student.

"Ah, jeez, Jim. I don't think we have to take it that far, really. I can remember without it being added. Really."

Blair wet his lips nervously and fingered the dreaded LIST. The last thing he wanted was another rule added. The more things written down, the less his chance of escaping punishment.

"Oh, no, Chief. I think we need to be clear on everything. I believe that will be rule number seven: The door will remain locked whenever you are at home and I am not present. That means even if someone else is here with you, like Daryl, or your mom, or even Simon or Joel. Got it?"

Blair sighed deeply and nodded. He learned long ago that when his safety was an issue, he would win no arguments with his over-protective sentinel. Number seven joined the LIST.

Sighing deeply, Blair got up and returned the List to it proper place on the refrigerator door. He turned to the stove and checked on dinner.

A large, warm hand landed gently on his shoulder, as Jim stepped up beside him. A finger tapped his chin, then turned his face towards his sentinel.

"And you DID lie to me Blair. We'll discuss that after dinner when we go over your grounding. There is no such thing as a big lie or a little lie. They're all still lies. I need to know I can trust you to tell me the truth. About anything, Chief. Not just the big stuff."

Blair swallowed the lump forming in his throat and blinked back sudden tears.

"You CAN trust me, Jim! I wouldn't let you down. I didn't mean to lie. It was just a little obfuscation. It's a hard habit to break, man. I'm sorry."

His last sentence was a soft whisper as he rested his forehead against a broad shoulder. Jim delivered a gentle thump to a curly head before they parted to complete preparations for their evening meal.

Dinner was filled with the soft sounds of eating and light conversation. After clearing the table and washing up, both men went in to the living room.

Blair sat down gingerly in his usual corner of the sofa and looked expectantly at his roommate. His large and muscular roommate. Blair sunk slightly into the cushions, making himself as small as possible without being obvious.

Jim dropped down on the cushion next to the hunched form in the corner. Resting his elbows on his knees, he turned slightly to face Blair.

"We've got a couple of things to discuss. First, you're grounded. Let's get that all out in the open, so we're both clear on what's going to be happening over the next two weeks. You understand why you're being grounded, don't you Chief?"

Blair grabbed the hem of his flannel shirt and worried the seam. His cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment and his voice dropped to just above a whisper.

"Because I wasn't feeling well and I tried to keep it from you even after you asked me about it. And because you told me that if I kept things from you and you found out I would be. Grounded, that is."

"For how long?"

"T-two weeks. You said two weeks. At least. Longer, maybe."

"I think two weeks will be long enough for this."

Blair hung his head a little lower hoping to hide the moisture forming in the corners of his eyes. The flush on his face deepened as he nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind one ear.

"Blair, look at me."

Startled by the use of his first name, Blair jerked his head up and locked eyes with his blessed protector. Jim reached out and touched a flaming red cheek.

"You know you earned this. We discussed this and you agreed to it. I realize this is the first time you've been grounded, so we'll go over what that means. Are you with me, Chief?"

Blinking rapidly, Blair nodded and turned to face Jim. Steeling himself for the unpleasant conversation to come, the young man dropped his shirttail and took a calming breath to center himself.

<Here is goes, Sandburg! Grounded! Nothing like being a ten-year-old again. Not that Naomi ever grounded me. Not that Naomi ever noticed if I did something that I should have been grounded for. Not that she noticed a lot of what I did. You have to be around to notice things. Whoa! Where did THAT come from? Yikes, man! Maybe I do need to be ten again. Maybe do it right this time. Do it right! Yeah, Jim will make sure I do it right this time. Jim always notices. Even when I don't want him to. Especially went I don't want him to. I lied to him, man. Not once but twice. I deserve this and more. But TWO weeks! Shit!

"This is Tuesday, so until two weeks from now you are restricted to the loft when you're not teaching, attending class or at the station with me. You'll postpone any appointments or meetings that you reasonably can until the two weeks are up. The only time you can go to the station is with me and that will be only if necessary. I decide what's necessary. That means you won't be at the station much. If I need you, I'll get you. If you have to use the library, let me know when and for how long."

The full impact of exactly what 'grounding' meant was slowly registering with the increasingly stunned young student.

"You get two hours of television a day. The rest of the time you can spend however you want as long as it's in the loft and you're doing it alone. No visitors. That also means no dates, no group movies after lectures and no social phone calls in or out. Straight to class and straight home afterwards. No exceptions unless I've agreed first. Bedtime is 9:00pm. Every night, even on weekends. Are you with me, Junior? Chief?"

Blair found himself feeling light headed and his lips were becoming numb. As Jim's voice registered on his consciousness, he realized he was hyperventilating.

Shaking his head to clear it, he forced his breathing to slow down through sheer willpower.

"Jesus, Jim! You can't be serious, man. Bedtime at 9? No phone calls or visitors? Two hours of TV? FOR TWO WEEKS? Come ON! Don't you think that'sa little harsh, man? Two weeks?"

Blair jumped to his feet and began pacing the room, hands gesturing wildly, occasionally pulling through his long brown curls.

<This father/son type relationship can REALLY suck sometimes! Two weeks!

"No, Chief, I don't. You risked your life and your health. If you had been honest with me in the beginning, you would have received medical treatment just that much earlier. Time really was an important factor in your treatment. You could have died. You still have several more days of rest and medication to go through. I think two weeks is pretty lenient considering."

Jim looked sternly at his agitated young charge and pointed to the couch.

"I think you need to settle down and have a seat so we can finish this. We still need to drive down to the hospital and have your blood work drawn."

<Say goodbye to that Friday night date with the new girl at the donut cart! Damn! It took me three weeks to get her to say yes!

Blair huffed and threw himself on to the couch. As his sensitive butt landed hard on the cushions, he flinched and reminded himself to reconsider making the big man beside him any angrier than he already was.

"Next we're going to discuss the door locking incident. Did you really think I wouldn't hear the tumblers falling into place, Chief? That I wouldn't hear you tiptoeing across the floor? Was it worth lying to me? Risking your safety? Jeopardizing my trust in you?"

"I-I didn't think about it like that, Jim! I was asleep and you took me by surprise! I wasn't thinking about the consequences. I just didn't want you to think I didn't keep my promise. I didn't want you to know I forgot again. You CAN trust me, man."

Dark blue eyes looked beseechingly for reassurance in the older man's light blue ones. Blair desperately needed to know their relationship hadn't suffered because of his actions.

A tentative small hand reached out to touch a muscled forearm for comfort.

A giant palm closed over Blair's hand and squeezed firmly.

"I trust you with everything about me, Blair. It's the things that concern YOU that I'm worried about."

"I understand Jim. I'm sorry! I just wasn't thinking. What are you going to do to punish me?"

"Well, you broke rule number six, no obfuscation or lying, and then tried to keep it from me when I called you on it. According to the list we agreed on, I make that a spanking and another grounding. Let's get on with it."

Jim shifted his body on the couch so that he was sitting straight and pulled his well-muscled torso upright. He patted his hard thigh and signaled Blair to come over next to him.

"Oh, Jim, man! Another spanking? Please! I'm still so sore from this morning! Please!"

Tears were already forming in Blair eyes. He pulled at the bottom of his shirt and shifted his aching butt to one hip.

A silent but understanding stare met his tear filled gaze. Blair hesitated a moment, studying the expression on Jim's face. All the love, security, understanding and comfort Jim had ever provided for Blair came flooding across their connection with that one silent look.

With a strangled sob, he nodded to himself and launched his body off the cushions and across his blessed protector's lap. Eyes shut tightly, he twisted his torso to one side as Jim reached to undo his button and fly. In seconds, his backside was bare and in position, jeans and boxers at his thighs.

A warm hand rested on his lower back as Jim's left arm encircled his narrow waist, firmly drawing his body against the hard surface of his protector's abdomen.

"Ok. This is for lying to me about the locked door, Chief. For endangering my trust in you and for disregarding your safety."

SMACK!

The first blow always caught Blair by surprise, but this was worse than usual. Still sore from this morning, the swat landed on reddened, sensitive flesh. The dull ache left over from the morning instantly ignited into burning flames.

Blair stiffened and let out an involuntary yelp of distress. His right hand flew back to protect his tortured butt on instinct alone. It was gently grasped and firmly held to his lower back.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

Blair sucked in his lower lip and tried to keep his sobbing to a low volume. Heavy swats landed with mind-numbing regularity on his exposed, raw feeling bottom.

SMACK!

Drawing in a deep ragged breath, Blair exploded with pent up tension and pain.

"Please, Jiiiim! Auugh! Pleeease! OOOOOW! I'm so-so-sorry! Auuuuuugh! I'M SORRY! Please stop! UH! UH! Auugh!"

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

The heavy blows to his bottom came faster and harder.

SMACK! SMACK!

Blair hung over the hard thighs and cried harder than he had in years. The second spanking on top of his earlier one was his complete undoing. Never had he imagined that his backside could hurt this much from a simple spanking.

He was so engrossed with his pain that he failed to realize the spanking was over until he felt himself being lifted and turned. He was enveloped in a warm and comforting embrace. Time passed quickly as he was gently rocked. A light sleep overtook him as the burning pain in his backside faded to a dull ache. Soothing words in his ear and calming hands on his back and head reoriented him to the situation at hand.

Boxers and jeans were replaced to the sounds of painful hissing and more than a few sobs of discomfort.

"It's over now, Chief. We're done here. All over. Take a deep breath. Slow down and just breath for me. You're OK. Slow down."

Blair shuddered with fatigue and gulped several deep breaths, slowly bringing his respiration under control. The thought of ruining Jim's trust in him had upset and frightened him more than any pain the spanking had brought him.

"I didn't mean to make you feel like you couldn't trust me! Jim, man, I'm so sorry!
You can trust me! You can!"

Fresh tears and sobs broke the quiet of the loft for several more minutes.

Jim continued to rub familiar patterns on Blair's shoulders and back, calming and soothing the highly distressed young man.

"I do trust you, Blair. With my life, my home, my heart and my soul. You have to learn to trust yourself and me. With your safety and health and happiness. I love you, Junior. I want you to be here beside me for a very long time. That's going to take a little more work on both our parts to see this though. You have a lot to learn yet."

Jim pulled the disheveled curly head from his shoulder and looked Blair in the eye, framing his face with both hands.

"But, I'm here for you, no matter what. You and me kid. Together. No matter how many times we need to revisit this scenario - I won't leave. So stop testing me. Testing my senses is one thing, testing my dedication and love for you is a waste of time, because it's unshakable and forever. Don't ever doubt that or you'll be counting the fibers in the couch cushions up close again. Got it, Darwin?"

A sappy grin rewarded the sentinel's efforts to reassure the recovering young man on his lap. Eyes brimming with moisture blinked rapidly and a small huffed laugh escaped Blair's mouth along with a sniffle.

"I got it 'Oh Blessed Protector'. I got it."

Jim stood them both up and helped Blair straighten his clothing, landing a light cuff to the side of his head.
.
"Let's get cleaned up. Go wash your face. We need to get down to the hospital. It's getting late and you have a curfew, young man."

Blair threw the big man a shy smile and walked as fast as his burning butt would allow. The trip in the truck would not be pleasant, but he wasn't going to complain.

Jim understood and forgave him, trusted him, loved him. The aching discomfort in his hindquarters actually served as a reminder of this.

<I can live with this. Hopefully Jim wouldn't have to remind me too often. Ha! Don't bet on it! For a genius kinda guy, you don't remember shit, Sandburg! Speaking of remembering, I hope the big guy forgot the other little thing he mentioned earlier. Keep your fingers crossed and say a Beitsa protection chant, man!

Jim stood waiting by the front door as Blair exited the bathroom. Coat already on, Jim handed Blair his jacket as he opened the door.

"Oh, and in case you thought I forgot, you're grounded for another week for trying to keep the lie from me."

"Shit! I mean, that's ok, Jim. I didn't forget."

A small grin popped up on the young guide's face.

"But, I was hoping maybe you would."

Blair slipped past the bigger man and started rapidly down the hall.

"I mean with your advanced age and all."

"Why you little....I'll show you advanced age."

The sound of running feet echoed in the hallway.

"Ow, ow, ow! No tickling! Not fair, man. NO SWATTING! Not my butt. Tickling's good! Not my butt."

"All's fair in raising a guide, Junior. A sentinel's word is law!"

The elevator doors closed on the sounds of uncontrolled laughter and more than a few yelps and giggles.